POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27796, 22 October 1955, Page 10

POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL

Final Course At Lyttelton

CLASS OF 33 BEGINS STUDIES

The last course to be held at the Police Training School in Norwich quay. Lyttelton, began this week, when 33 recruits from all parts of New Zealand began their studies. Yesterday they were joined by five recruits to the women’s branch.

When this course ends, 10 days before Christmas, the school will be dlosed. At present it is the only police training school in the Dominion. The staff for the new school, to be opened at Trentham next year, has not yet been chosen.

The first _police training school was opened in Wellington about 1921. It was closed for a few years during the slump, and again from 1940 to 1946. In 1953, Sergeant E. J. Hotham, then stationed at Whangarei, was appointed to open the school in Lyttelton. For a month, both schools were used, but since then, all courses have been held in Lyttelton. The Lyttelton school—the first in the South Island—is housed in a twostorey wooden building erected for the Army in 1943. In 1946, it was taken over to accommodate immigrants, and

at one time 50 Dutchmen lived there. Sergeant Hotham, who was promoted to Senior-Sergeant last month, was the sole instructor until Constable J. R. Wheeler was appointed, in June this year, to take charge of the physical training course. Average Intake of 30 The present class is the twelfth since the school opened at Lyttelton. The average intake number has been about 30, but when the school reopens in Wellington, larger numbers will be admitted and the course extended.

The course is now of eight weeks. Included in the course are instruction on the practical application of criminal law to police work, the taking of statements and writing of reports, general police duties, health, physical training, and unarmed combat.

A year ago. Senior-Sergeant Hotham trained the first mixed class held in New Zealand. Introduced after considerable discussion, it was found to be a success, and all classes held since then have included a few women recruits. This practice will be followed in Wellington. Of the present intake, five men and one of the women recruits are from the South Island. The average age of the recruits is 24.